The Defenders of Hogwarts
by Nostariel Nightshadow
Summary: Harry makes a friend in the muggle world who is familiar with magic. The two make it to Diagon Alley were they learn their destiny is tied to at least two others. Nadia, granddaughter of the dark lord and descendant of the four founders teamed with Harry, the boy who lived but who is the one who could have been and the girl with seer's blood? Pairing will be included later.
1. Prologue

The Defenders of Hogwarts

Summary: Harry makes a friend in the muggle world who is familiar with magic. The two make it to Diagon Alley were they learn their destiny is tied to at least two others. Nadia, granddaughter of the dark lord and descendant of the four founders teamed Harry, the boy who lived but who is the one who could have been and the girl with seer's blood? Pairing will be included later.

Prologue: Before Hogwarts

 **A/N: After reading an article on Pottermore I decided to rewrite the story and change some of what I had planned.**

 _5 years before Hogwarts – Age 6_

Harry sighs as he sits in a quiet corner of the playground, hoping that Dudley will be distracted by the new student and leaves him alone. Just as he thinks that the new student, a girl the same age as Harry flops down onto the grass beside him. She has light red hair and hazel eyes and is just above average height for her age.

"So I've heard all sorts of ridiculous stories about you this morning but since I've learned to never judge a book by its cover I figure I will come talk to you." She announces.

"You might not want to do that, it isn't the best way to make friends around here." Harry replies.

"I was hoping you'd be my friend." The girl replies.

"My cousin won't like that." Harry states.

"And way should that bother me?" The girl quizzes.

"He has a tendency to solve things with violence." Harry answers.

"I go to lessons every Tuesday and Thursday to learn mixed martial arts, we're told only to use it in self-defence but I can spar with boys bigger and stronger than me and win because of my flexibility. Mum swears it is the ballet that makes me flexible but I do yoga as well and that helps too." The girl responds unconcerned.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. My names Harry Potter, what's your?" Harry shrugs holding out his hand.

"Nadia Cane" Nadia replies shaking Harry's hand.

 _2 Weeks Later_

Nadia and Harry after two weeks are becoming really good friends, then in class Harry's accidental magic makes the teachers wig blue. Harry thinks that this will finally end his friendship with the girl who did indeed defend herself against Dudley and his gang though none of them had admitted that a girl more than half their weight had got the drop on them.

Harry goes to meet Nadia at the edge of the park near the trees. "So that was a pretty sweat piece of accidental magic there Harry, this is great we can go to Hogwarts together and still be best friends." Nadia grins.

"Di there is no such thing as magic." Harry corrects.

"Yes there is, watch this." Nadia argues and makes her hair a violent shade of pink.

"Ok so magic is real. Hogwarts must be some kind of school then?" Harry asks.

"Yes they say it is the best but I wouldn't know if that is true or not. It is in Scotland somewhere but you get the train from platform 9 ¾ in Kings Cross station and then off you go. There are four houses and you learn also sort of magical things." Nadia answers.

For the next four hours Nadia tell Harry about the magical world and about Voldemort and how Harry is famous – showing him one of the books he is in and newspaper clippings from the time. "You have a lot of stuff about me and Voldemort is that why you are friends with me?" Harry asks.

"No, I am your friend because you are kind and honest and I like that in a person. Honestly you're like the brother I wish I had and I have this stuff to remind me that no matter what the ministry believes that Voldemort is dead but I know he isn't since his name hasn't gone black on the family tree. I tell you this in the upmost confidence. Voldemort is my grandfather and I am a direct descendant of the four founders of Hogwarts." Nadia confides.

"Is there a way to see people's minds?" Harry asks.

"Yes but there are ways to protect yourself too, we can work on one that requires meditation and building walls and defences in the mind." Nadia answers.

From that day on Harry and Nada routinely practise meditation to begin building shields for occlumency later.

 _1 Year later – age 7_

Harry and Nadia are sitting in the park on the 30th July. "Happy birthday Di, I am glad we went to Gringotts last month and sorted out my account. Here I got you this for you birthday." Harry states.

"Oh Harry thank you it is beautiful." Nadia grins as she opens the simple gold locket, on it is a single ruby in the centre and inside a moving photo of Nadia and Harry laughing that had been taken by Nadia's mum the week before. One the other side is a mirror.

"It is a two way mirror; I had it connected to the mirror that is in the pocket watch you got me last year for my birthday." Harry explains.

"Oh that is brilliant this means we can keep in touch no matter where we are. That is wicked because no one will think that it is anything other than part of a decorative necklace or watch." Nadia grins.

"Thanks for getting my families crest put on the watch, it means a lot to have that connection to my family. Now we both have a ruby from the other, did you know that ruby is the birthstone for those born in July?" Harry asks.

"Yes it didn't take much to find that out." Nadia answers.

"Are you looking forward to starting school in September?" Harry asks.

"Yes, mum has arranged for the two of us to attend Mahoutokoro in Japan, that's why she taught us Japanese and made sure we are fluent in it. We will attend there until we turn eleven at which point we will go to Hogwarts." Nadia replies.

"But won't my aunt and uncle be a problem?" Harry asks.

"Nope, mum got them to sign the paperwork that gives her guardianship of you so you are going to be coming to live with us. Mum thinks we should move into the Founder's retreat as it has wards as good as Hogwarts should be and it has an international floo connection which we can use to get to school." Nadia grins.

"I don't have to go back to the Dursley's?" Harry asks.

"No, you don't and since none of your important or valuable stuff is there you don't have to back there for anything." Nadia grins.

"Wicked, do you think you mum would sign us up for summer classes at Uagadou, for alchemy and self-transfiguration?" Harry quizzes.

"She'll see the merit of it and have the paperwork filled within the week I'd bet." Nadia laughs.

"We have a social event coming up that we need to be prepared for, mum's friend Lady Longbottom is coming to visit to discuss the latest politics and she is bring her nephew Neville so we need to entertain him." Nadia explains.

"That's good, a new friend for the two us if we give it a chance." Harry responds.

 _2 Weeks later_

Neville proves to be a shy boy the same age as Harry and Nadia. "Wow your aura is really bright with lots of green; you must be wicked good at herbology." Nadia exclaims.

"You can see auras?" Neville asks.

"All my life, I use to freak my mum out before we figured it out always declaring that she had pretty colours and hiding behind her at times whispering that the person she was talking to had bad colours. You share that gift with Harry and I but it isn't active in the two of you yet. You also have the aura of one with an elemental affinity with a specialisation in earth; you might find a special interest in herbology." Nadia explains.

"I really like herbology and like the greenhouses at the Manor a lot, the plants grow really well when I tend them." Neville admits shyly.

"I've heard that the brightness of a person's aura relates to their magical strength and the strength of their accidental magic." Lady Longbottom states.

"That's true, Harry's is really bright and he does really impressive accidental magic. Neville's is as bright as his but it is calmer like someone who is really centred and doesn't do a lot of accidental magic. Harry's was all swirly and aggravated but it is mellowing now because we meditate and focus on calming and centring ourselves." Nadia explains.

"That would explain why we have seen very little to indicate accidental magic, Neville has to mediate for a half hour in the morning and also in the evening." Lady Longbottom muses.

From that day on Neville became friends with Harry and Nadia.

 _3 Years later - Age 10_

"I think that this meeting with the goblins is going to be really interesting. I mean they asked if we are familiar with occlumency so whatever it is must be important." Harry states.

"I think we are going to learn why Voldemort targeted you as a baby." Nadia states.

"Do you know that I've stopped questioning your statements like that?" Harry asks.

"We've been friends for four years, you've gotten use to me making statements like that." Nadia responds.

"They are usually right as well." Harry grins.

"I can't help that I get these feelings about things." Nadia shrugs.

"It's cool, you're like a human magic 8 ball." Harry laughs.

"Please do not compare me to that stupid toy that people like so much." Nadia glares, her hair going vibrant red.

"You know, the vibrant red hair suits you Di almost as much as its usual lighter red." Harry offers.

"You Harry are trying to distract me from magic 8 ball comment." Nadia observes.

"Is it working?" Harry quizzes.

"Yes." Nadia groans. "You know I don't stay mad long." Nadia adds.

 _1 Week Later – Gringotts_

Harry and Nadia make their way to the wizarding bank, both had their appearances concealed. Nadia and Harry had discovered during their summer classes at Uagadou that Harry's Black ancestry was prominent in the manifestation of latent metamorphous abilities. Nadia through the Gryffindor line also showed the same ability but had been born with the talent active and thus taught Harry to control it.

The summer lessons had taught the pair much about alchemy and both managed by the end of the course to master the animagus transformation; Harry turns into an 'adorable' ("don't call me adorable Di, I'm a wolf so I'm fierce") wolf cub and Nadia turns into a 'cute' panther cub ("I like being cure and fluffy it's a total compliment for my form.") – The pair know that their form reflects their age and will grow as they do.

Nadia's natural appearance could pass for Harry's sister with long red and hazel eye but she has changed her hair to blond and left her eyes. Harry has taken on the appearance that next to his natural appearance is his most comfortable, lengthening his hair to his chin and making it a red that matches his mothers, leaving his green eyes. The pair had agreed to only change their hair and for Harry to hide his scar - a feat possible for up to 2 hours that had been growing with practise.

"My name is Nadia Cane and this is Harry, we have an appointment with Inkeye." Nadia states once the goblin teller looks up to them.

"I will have you escorted to his office." The teller says nodding to another goblin.

"Hello Griphock, I hope you gold is flowing well today." Harry states unknowingly winning the respect of all the goblins present to hear his greeting.

"Yes, I hope good fortune has been with you since our first meeting." Nadia states after Harry which leads to her too winning the goblins respect.

"Indeed it has Mr Potter, Miss Cane, time is money let's get you to your meeting." Griphock responds -slightly stunned by the respectful greeting from two such wealthy clients.

"Then let's not waste it." Nadia agrees indicating for Griphock to lead the way.

Griphock leads Harry and Nada to the office of Inkeye, the account manager for both the Potters and the Founders (who created a joined account that could only be accessed by one of all their lines, the vault for the Founders Heir – prophesied by Rowena Ravenclaw herself). Both ten years olds greet Inkeye in the same respectful tone they used with Griphock. "Thank you Griphock may your gold flow strongly." Nadia states.

"Thank you, may good fortune be with you this day." Harry adds.

"May your enemies tremble and their souls tremble with your wrath, Mr Potter, Miss Cane." Griphock replies.

Griphock departs and word spreads through the goblin nation not to be shared with the wizarding world that Mr Potter and his friend Miss Cane are respectful and are to have the respect of the nation should their behaviour remain as it is.

Unaware of this wildfire news, Nadia and Harry sit across for Inkeye.

"I have much to discuss with the two of you, some pertains to individual inheritances which you both have so I shall ask if you wish to discuss those matters individually or if you wish to be present anyway. Another matter pertains to prophecy and potentially involves two other, one we believe is Neville Longbottom and the other we have been unable to determine. Lady Longbottom wishes to test this and will be here this afternoon giving us all morning to cover you inheritances." Inkeye explains.

"Sir, Nadia is like a sister to me and I would like her to be here when my family estate is discussed as I may need her council on matters that I am unfamiliar with." Harry responds.

"Sir, l agree with Harry that we are like siblings and as such would like him here." Nadia agrees.

"Please call me Inkeye, Miss Cane, Mr Potter." Inkeye requests.

"You may call me Nadia." Nadia states.

"You can call me Harry." Harry adds.

Inkeye nods at the request and from there they discuss Harry's family estate and sort out details, no outgoing transactions are flagged as none have been added since the death of Lily and James and the current ones are standing transactions for the maintains of the estate.

At Nadia's advisement, Harry becomes financially independent and requests that all withdrawals not made by Harry and not related the maintenance of the estate be questioned and denied (being stated as a stipulation of his parents will which after reviewing the document should be in place with the exception of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather who may withdraw money towards the care of Harry).

Inkeye informs the pair that there was never a formal trail and that legally Sirius is still Harry's legal guardian. The will also explained about the switching of the secret keepers and that Harry is not under any circumstances to end up in his aunt's care. Intending to keep their independence to themselves (Nadia's mother having given her that independence when they learned of the inheritance) they decided that they cannot act directly and must find a way to get a trial for Sirius with the use of Veritaserum and or the use of a pensieve to view memories.

A well written untraceable letter to Rita Skeeter consider carefully illusions to the lack of trial records and implications that there are rumours that he is still recognised by magic as Harry's godfather (a right with would have been lost had he acted to betray the oath of protection and care that comes with being godfather to a magical child) and the letter is good to go. However the pair agree not to send it yet and decided to wait for an opportunity to do so.

Nadia's inheritance takes less time to discuss and much of what is said is merely a review of the actions taken now that Nadia has claimed her inheritance. The pair then arranges to return to the bank at 3 O'clock and head into Diagon Alley after withdrawing money from their vaults. They go to the Leaky Cauldron where Nadia's mother is waiting for them and the three have lunch, after they then get ice cream from Florean Fortescue's. Nadia got a banana ice cream and Harry a peanut butter ice cream.

Nadia's mother accompanies Nadia and Harry to the meeting with the Longbottoms. The meeting begins with all being sworn to secrecy – a spell similar to the fidelius charm but for a secret not a location, it also prevents the person communicating the secret to someone not sworn in on the secret.

First of all I would like to have one of our curse breakers cast a modified revealing spell that will tell us if the three youngsters are indeed the children of the prophecy. 'We are' Nadia signs to Harry who is the only one to understand muggle British sign language, both also have been taught wizarding sign language which is international and with no regionally difference. The curse breaker is sworn to secrecy and casts the charm; it glows green confirming that Harry Potter, Nadia Cane and Neville Longbottom are the children of the prophecy. It shows the other is a year younger and also British in origin but does not give their name.

Inkeye the sits everyone down and tells them about the prophecy made about Harry and Voldemort (everyone flinches when the name is used bar Nadia and Harry) "Fear of a name only increase fear of the thing itself" Harry quotes. Inkeye arranges for Harry to retrieve the orb containing the prophecy without it raising any attention. With the orb of the prophecy that was made the year he was born collected it is shared, Lady Longbottom gasps, "That could have been Neville".

"We know that is why he is here. Let us share with you the prophecy of Lady Ravenclaw herself." Inkeye responds. The prophecy concerning the four youngsters is shared;

 **The boy marked as the dark lord's equal shall join with the boy that could have been. They shall be joined by two girls in symmetry with the Founders of Hogwarts. One shall be the Founders Heir herself and she shall have the powers of her ancestors and blood rite over Hogwarts, through her they shall learn the truth of the Founders. The fourth is a year younger with the blood of a seer and together the four shall be the defenders of Hogwarts, restoring the great school and protecting it from the dark. They shall be united and lead the fight against the dark lords, together they shall defeat the dark lords.**

Everyone is shocked. "Well I it is a good think the three of us are good friends because I know you don't lead a fight with people you don't trust to watch your back." Nadia announces.

"Excellent point Di, I am glad that we are aware of this before we start Hogwarts though, gives us a chance to figure out who the fourth is and get to know them and it means that we will have a chance to figure out how to go about all of that." Harry agrees.

Soon it is a week before Hogwarts letters come out and the three meet to discuss how they will act in the coming year; it is agreed that the three will meet in the alley and 'become' friends with Harry and Nadia who will go together. Harry sends his acceptance with Nadia's using her eagle owl, Nyx.


	2. Diagon Alley, Journey to Hogwarts and th

Chapter One – Diagon Alley, Journey to Hogwarts and the Sorting Ceremony

Harry and Nadia travel to Diagon Alley via Floo followed by Nadia's mother. Both have left their appearances as normal and Harry gets a few curious looks but as his hair is chin length and it's natural red colour (Nadia thinks his hair went black as a sign he was mourning his parents) and his fringe covers his scar no one makes any comment. His glasses are also a thing of the past; a present from Lady Longbottom for Christmas saw Harry getting his eyes magically repaired by the best eye specialist in the country. Nadia makes it a point to deliberately bump into Neville prompting the conversation about Hogwarts that sees Neville and his grandmother join the three as the walk to the bank.

After carrying out separate withdrawals from their accounts; the first stop is to the trunk shop where the Hogwarts students get a trunk, each one gets a blood warded multi-compartmental trunk with built in feather-light charms strengthen and anchored by runes.

In the trunk shop while Harry is paying for his and undergoing the blood warding process, Nadia strikes up a conversation with a girl. The girl is brown haired with eyes an unusually rare shade of purple, Nadia catches the girl's eye and changes her eyes to match. The girl grins and rolls her eyes coming over from where her mother is examining the same style trunk as the one Nadia has just bought.

"You're a metamorphous then" The girl states.

"With an attuement ability like you." Nadia adds.

"Yes, you're right. I've had my gift since I was born. You?" The girl questions.

"I've had both since birth, hours after I was born I starting going through the colours of the rainbow on my hair. Been commenting to my mother about colours since I could talk." Nadia answers.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" the girl asks.

"I've been told that I could end up in any but my brother think that I'll be in Ravenclaw. What about you?" Nadia inquires.

"Whole family has been in Slytherin for as long as anyone can tell. Guess that is where I'll be going. What's your name by the way?" The girl demands.

"Violet come here we need you so we can ward the trunk to your blood." The girl's mother calls.

"Well see you at Hogwarts then." She states before sauntering off to her mother's side.

"Yeah see you at Hogwarts Vi." Nadia responds unheard.

Nadia recounts her meeting with Violet to Harry and Neville as they head to get their potions ingredients. After that they get their telescopes and other odds and ends. Harry gets a wizards chess set and a pack of exploding snap cards. On their way to get their robes Nadia points out Violet on the other side of the street heading towards Florean Fortescue's. A boy maybe two years older, 13 comes out the shop with a towering ice cream cone and walks straight into Violet sending both of them sprawling to the floor.

When Violet stands her face is red in anger and there is ice cream dripping from her head and covering her clothes. "You fool, you absolute fool, I'm covered in sticky, cold ice cream and still have more than half my things to get. Are you blind or just oblivious you should have been watching were you're going?" Violet yells.

"Calm down, it was an accident surely your parents can vanish it and it will be like it was never there." The boy reasons.

"That's not the point it shouldn't have happened in the first place." Violet shouts stomping off to her mother who whips out her wand and sets her to rights.

Harry and the rest of the group walk on. About a minute of silence later Harry pipes up "She's charming" Harry states.

"I'd be angry to if someone bumped into me like that, he should have just said sorry and be done with." Nadia comments.

"She still over-reacted a bit." Harry responds.

"Bet she's an only child." Nadia states.

"No bet, you've got your gift going." Neville laughs. The three laugh and make jokes as they head to the robe shop, Nadia tells them about the Swallows and Amazons book series that she has started reading and Neville tells them about a new plant he is growing in his greenhouse. Given the space in the shop, Lady Longbottom and Nadia's mother all wait outside.

Harry is the first to be prepared for a fitting, standing on the other spot is a boy our age with white-blond hair. "Hogwarts?" The boy asks.

"First year, what house do you think you'll be in?" Harry asks.

"Slytherin." The boy answers. "What about you?" he questions.

"I could end up anywhere, my sister Di thinks I'll be in Gryffindor or Slytherin. She's like me and could go anywhere but I think she'll be in Ravenclaw. Our friend Neville is going to be in Gryffindor." Harry answers.

"Ah that them just there?" the boy asks pointing at Neville and Nadia.

"Yes, Nadia and I are both metamorphous and Neville has an earth affinity." Harry states explaining about the abilities we agreed to broadcast.

"Metamorphous abilities are common in the Black family you related to them?" the boy asks.

"Through my grandmother, Nadia's ability runs in her family to, she's not blood but she is my sister in every other way. I look out for her and she looks out for me. Neither of us have blood sibling so it's nice to have that sort of connection with some even if they aren't blood." Harry answers.

"I don't have any siblings either but I don't have anyone that is like family that isn't." the boy states.

"That's you done dear." The shop owner states to the boy who hops down and after finishing up, he leaves with a nod to Harry, Neville and Nadia.

They get their robes fitted and then loaded them into their trunks and all head to get their books. Nadia gets several extra like beadle the bard, books on snakes and a book on the rules and tactics of Quidditch. Harry also gets a copy of beadle the bard and Quidditch through the ages.

Before going to get wands Harry and Neville want to go and get owls, Harry gets a beautiful snowy owl and Neville gets a barn owl. Nadia gets distracted talking to the snakes and buys herself a runespoor. The three heads get named, Loki, Thor and Balthazar.

After that they go to get their wands. Ollivander recounts the wands sold to their parents and Neville, Harry and Nadia get their wands. Neville's is 13 inches, cherry wood and unicorn hair. Harry's is the twin to Voldemort's, 11 inches, holly and phoenix feather. Nadia's is 10 inches, silver lime with phoenix feather core.

After the shopping trip to Diagon Alley the group head their separate ways, Nadia and her mum. When the time comes to go to Hogwarts; Neville, Harry and Nadia manage to get onto the platform and get a compartment together. The start of the journey passes uneventfully, the trolley comes and the trio get a few snacks before settling down to read.

The boy from the robe shop enters and asks about Harry Potter causing a minor confrontation when the boy (Draco Malfoy) is a bit insulting, Nadia's snake startles his friends and the pair runs off so Draco follows after Harry rejects his friendship.

"Why do I feel that is going to cause problems down the line?" Nadia pounders.

"Maybe we'll have a chance to befriend him later." Harry offers.

On the way to the toilets to change Harry bumps into a pair of red haired twins, Fred and George Weasley – Harry notes the slight difference in auras so he can tell them apart later which no idea why he thinks it is important. Harry instantly likes the twins and their humour and makes a point of always using the right name for the right twin.

Harry wonders briefly what they would have thought of the Marauders map, a map that Harry's dad and his friends created – the one that his dad talked about in the letter that had been left in the vault. The one from his mum and dad that told him they loved him and they miss him and they will always be proud of him. It makes Harry wonder what they'd think about him being an animagus.

After that the rest of the train ride is uneventful, the first years get called at the station by a being that can only be a half-giant therefore is probably Hagrid. They travel across the lake, four in a boat – the girl from the alley Violet joins Harry, Neville and Nadia in their boat. Once across they meet Professor McGonagall whose speech to the first years makes Nadia nervous of her yet earns her respect. The ghosts float though arguing about Peeves and then notice the students. "New students hope you end up my old house Hufflepuff" the fat friar exclaims.

"I have no doubt that some of us will." Nadia responds politely.

McGonagall comes and collects the first years, after a few names "Nadia Cane".

Nadia walks up confidently while actually being very nervous and sits.

 _Nadia's POV_

The brim of the hat slides down over my eyes and then 'Ah I've been waiting for you to come to Hogwarts since the day Rowena foretold your birth. Now where to put you' the hat exclaims. I think "I don't mind, even if everyone has the wrong impression of the houses; put me where I'll most belong. Sal really wants me in Slytherin but then Rick, Ro and Helga are all equally the same when it comes to wanting me in their house." The hat seems to pounder this 'You'd do well in Slytherin or Gryffindor, Hufflepuff would no doubt see you excel socially but I think the place for you really better be, "Ravenclaw" the hat calls allowed, there is the usually applause as I take the hat off, pass the hat to McGonagall and take a seat at the Ravenclaw table. Ro will be thrilled that she got me, no doubt Sal and Rick will argue if both Harry and Neville are in Gryffindor – they are really competitive and argue like the best friends they've always been.

All ready I can feel an awareness of the wards and have to fight to hide my surprise; half are non-functioning and others are working at less than half capacity. The wards feel like there is a block somewhere, the wards stones must not have been cleansed properly or recently. I must consult with the founders and find out how to fix them to the best of my ability.

 _Violet's POV_

"Violet Duquesne" McGonagall calls. This is it, my sorting. I walk to the stool and take a seat; the hat covers my eyes as it slides down my head. 'Very interesting, were to put you. You'd do well in Ravenclaw that's for sure and you'd be very successful in Gryffindor but I think you'll do best in "Slytherin" the hat calls.

Relieved I take a breath, stand and hand the hat to McGonagall and take a seat at the Slytherin table, a few seats up that obnoxious boy with the ice cream sits well I'll just ignore him this year till I get on some of the teams, definitely Quidditch. I love flying and love studying broomsticks and enchantments.

 _Neville's POV_

So Harry was right Nadia is a Ravenclaw, I don't want to let my gran down by I don't think I can live up to being a Gryffindor like my dad, mum was in Hufflepuff that's where I'll go and gran will be upset. "Neville Longbottom" beside me Harry gives me thumbs up and I walk up to be sorted. The hat just and no more blocks my view of the room. 'Well, well, well, where do we put you' the hat mutters, 'Not Ravenclaw, though you'd like to be with your friend but where to put you, Slytherin won't work' the hat continues. "Hufflepuff like my mum" I think desperately. 'Hufflepuff you say, why you'd do much better in Gryffindor' "I want to be in Hufflepuff" I think harder. 'Most of the folk that argue with me are usually the ones who do best when put in Gryffindor' the hat argues. "I still want to be in Hufflepuff" I argue back. 'I disagree and I don't doubt that you'll find friends in either house but I still think Gryffindor' the hat huffs.

Memories of meeting the Founders in their portraits with Harry as Nadia chats away to her ancestors before introduction us. "I suppose Gryffindor isn't a bad place to be" I conceded remembering the wild red haired man who laughed easily with us and make jokes at Salazar's expense and laughed when Salazar made jokes right back. 'In that case better be "Gryffindor" the hat calls. I stand and almost forget to take the hat off but just before I moved remember to hand it to the professor before I go and take a seat at Gryffindor table.

 _Harry's POV_

So Neville didn't persuade the hat to put him in Hufflepuff then, probably made it more likely to put him in Gryffindor. I figured I'd avoid being pointed out as much if I made my hair more like my mum it didn't really help but I feel better having a more solid connection to her than just her eyes. "Harry Potter" the professor calls. The whispers start as soon as she calls my name. I walk to the stool looking over the teachers as I do, one looks rather surprised by my appearance but masks it quickly with a look of distain – I wonder who that is and why they seem to dislike me. Instinctively I tighten my shields.

I sit on the stool and the hat goes over my head. 'Very, very difficult, almost as hard as your sister Mr Potter' the hat muses. "Di was hard to place then, if it's all the same to you I'd rather avoid being in Slytherin to be on the safe side, many of the students have a parent who lost a lot when Voldemort was defeated and I'd rather not live with a target on my back" I think. 'You make sense sad as it is and Di was rather difficult but then she really does take after the founders in a lot of ways. Ravenclaw will suit her but I don't think you'd do as well there, you'd be great in Slytherin but as you say it might not be safe, bit like your mother there lad, I'd have put her in Slytherin if the war wasn't going on as bad as it was. She'd have done really well there and it might have been better for her friend Severus too but it wasn't to be the whole war was over blood purity and I'd have been painting a target on your mum to put her there. Ah well you'd better be "Gryffindor" the hat calls aloud.

Reeling for the insight into my mum I vaguely remember taking the hat off and walking to sit at the Gryffindor table, the Weasley twin's voices register calling "We got Potter" over the cheering. I sit and watch the rest of the sorting.

 _3_ _rd_ _Person POV_

The sorting concludes and the feast beings Nadia talks with her fellow Ravenclaws and Harry and Neville talk to the Gryffindors. Over at the Slytherin table Violet observes the girl from the trunk shop, Nadia Cane if her mother's lessons are right then little is known about the origins of Nadia's mother only that she married into the pureblood Cane family and produced Nadia. Widowed she apparently took her daughter and raised her in the muggle world, maybe Nadia would be able to get her more of the hair dye stuff she had found.

Violet remembers the incident when she had gone with her uncle to the leaky cauldron but he had stopped to talk to a friend, she'd wandered into a muggle shop and since she outside she'd found a muggle note thought she might buy something. The shop keeper had looked at her funny when she bought the blond dye, "It's for my sister" she'd sneered to wipe the stupid look of the muggles face. She'd left without the change and stuffed the box in her bag. She found it a month later just after her ninth birthday and decided to give it a shot, it had turned out rather well and shocked her parents to boot so it had been worthwhile especially since her parents thought maybe it was accidental magic and would undo itself after a while.

The dye had lasted for ages but after a while her mum made her cut her hair when the roots started to show really badly. Still maybe there was a way of doing just that bit or maybe she could do streaks. Nadia had seemed nice enough so maybe she could be persuaded to get her more of it. Violet made a note to ask and find out what other colours there are, wouldn't it be novel to dye her hair Violet – then she'd really live up to her name what with her eyes and her hair matching.

After the feast the students sing the school song and are then sent off to bed. Violet follows the prefect to the dungeon where they are shown the concealed entrance and given the password. Harry and Neville follow their prefect to their

tower where they meet the guardian and are given the password.

Nadia follows her prefect to their tower where the door asks them a riddle: 'What has roots as nobody sees, Is taller than trees Up, up, up it goes, And yet never grows?' the group pause to think about it, "Oh I know, a mountain." Nadia declares. The door opens and the prefect congregates her on being the first, first year in 12 years to answer the riddle before an upper year student. "It's not really that impressive, I've heard it before in a book that I've read. It was in The Hobbit, Bilbo had to answer it in a game of riddles with Gollum." Nadia explain.

"You remembered it and knew the answer it is still the first time in 12 that a first year has done that one the first night." The prefect answers cheerfully.


	3. First Days Through Till Halloween

Chapter Two – First Days Through Till Halloween

 **AN: Most of Harry's first few lessons are the same so I'm not going to go through all of them.**

Harry and Neville spend the first morning before classes getting to know the rest of the boys in their year. Nadia starts to befriend some of her fellow Ravenclaws. Violet sits with her fellow Slytherins wondering how so many of the can be droll and uninteresting, looking over some of the (Crabbe and Goyle) she seriously wonders what has happened to the intelligence of some pure-blood families.

The first class of the year sees Nadia and Violet in defence against the dark arts, the pair sit together and end up passing notes complaining about the stuttering and talking about interests.

 _Violet: It's like he's afraid of his own shadow_

 _Nadia: The stuttering makes him impossible to understand, at least I can learn from books without too much difficulty._

 _Violet: How are we going to get through the lessons without falling asleep?_

 _Nadia: We'll figure something out, what's your favourite colour?_

 _Violet: Violet or black, depends on the day. You?_

 _Nadia: I like blues and royal purple and rose and some shades of green. What sort of sweets do you like? My favourites are chocolate frogs and caramels._

 _Violet: I like blood pops, also chocolate frogs are good too, I have about 300 but I don't have any of the founders, I have loads of Newt Scamander._

 _Nadia: I don't have him, trade you a Newt Scamander for Salazar Slytherin?_

 _Violet: Brilliant, you play Quidditch, I want to be a chaser._

 _Nadia: I play chaser too._

The lesson final finishes and Violet stuffs the piece of note paper in her bag as she and Nadia head to their next class. Lesson pass uneventfully for the first day and Nadia returns to her dorm for one of her spare Slytherin cards before heading to the library to meet with Harry and Neville to talk lessons and work on their homework.

On her way to the library Nadia spots Violet, bag bursting at the seams and heading to the library. Violet's bag splits and the contents tumble to the ground. The boy from the ice cream shop notices and goes to help her even as Nadia starts collecting up the books including a few on broomsticks and enchantments. The boy repairs Violets bag and helps her gather up her scattered things, "You might want to think about getting a bag with a light extension charm on it if you're going to carry a library in your bag. I've charmed it with a featherlight and a strengthening charm so it shouldn't burst again but an extended bag is the way to go." The boy states.

"I didn't ask for your advice and I could have managed fine myself thanks." Violet responds.

The boy leaves, "Just trying to help a fellow snake out." He calls in goodbye.

"Thanks for the help Nadia." Violet states ignoring the boy.

"Your welcome, I was coming over to give you the chocolate frog card that I promised." Nadia replies.

"Thanks, I have the one for you here somewhere." Violet responds. The pair trade cards and walk to the library together.

"Do you know about muggle hair dye, I got my hands on some a while ago and thought it was rather interesting?" Violet asks.

"Yeah, it changes someone's hair colour, people always think that I do that when I change my hair colour though I have to be careful that it is a colour that muggles dye their hair." Nadia answers.

"What sort of colours are there?" Violet asks.

"Well red, brown, blond, black and then there are ones like pink or blue or green, it really depends on how you mix it. I once made my hair black and streaked with violet and no one bat and eyelash except those that thought it was a sign that I was trouble." Nadia grins.

"Could you maybe get me some? I'd like to streak my hair violet. Live up my name and all that." Violet requests.

"Sure, I'll have to get in over the summer when I go home but it shouldn't be a problem." Nadia agrees.

"So what do you actually look like?" Violet asks looking over Nadia with her bronze hair streaked with blue and hazel eyes.

Nadia changes her hair back to its light red and becomes a few inches shorter. "This" Nadia replies, "I usually only change my hair colour and my height but if I want to go really unnoticed I change my eyes too. I sometimes change to look like Harry's twin but usually that's when we both change our appearance." Nadia adds.

"I must be brilliant to be able to change your appearance whenever you want to." Violet observes.

"It can also be a pain, like when your emotions are so overwhelming that it changes your appearance without thought. My hair was black for week after my aunt died and I had not control of it what so ever, it was like a symbol I was mourning her and if I get really angry my hairs goes an intense angry red and becomes really short." Nadia answers, "Harry says it's a bit like a mood ring that only shows intense moods of course he wasn't so happy the first time his hair did the same thing." Nadia adds.

"Well that would be annoying. It was nice talking to you; I'm going to go work on the homework I've got." Violet says.

"Yeah, I see my friends over there. You could join us if you wanted." Nadia offers.

"Maybe another time." Violet responds before walking to a table at the far end of the library on the other side from where Harry and Neville are sitting, with the red haired boy from their year.

Nadia joins them and is introduced to Ron Weasley. "I've heard of the Cane family but no one has any idea about your mother's family." Ron announces.

"My mum's family are more private, we tend not to broadcast our family name much. Evan Dad's family were like that, of course I'm now the only heir to both family lines." Nadia responds. "That is all I will say about my family." Nadia adds.

"So how were classes?" Nadia asks in a bid to change the subject.

"Everyone was staring at me, it was very annoying." Harry complains.

"At least you haven't had DADA yet, it is a joke. The teacher is scared of his own shadow and stutters so bad that you can barely understand him. We are going to have to break out the books and teach ourselves." Nadia rants.

"We're good at that so it shouldn't be that hard." Harry reassures.

"I spoke to Violet a bit during DADA we were passing notes to each other to entertain ourselves. She seems nice, might take a while to get her to show it but I think it will be worth the effort." Nadia comments.

"And it is a friend in a different house. Neville and I got on really well with Susan and Hannah in Hufflepuff so if you can get Violet to join then we could have an all house study group." Harry suggests.

"That would be really good, Susan and Hannah are really nervous about potions and Nadia really enjoys that so she could help them and we can all find how to balance our strengths and weaknesses with those of the others in the group." Neville agrees.

The next few days pass in the same sort of way, Harry and Neville attend classes together and Nadia attends hers and the three of them meet up in the library after lessons and study. The three of them are often joined by Susan and Hannah from Hufflepuff however no Violet does not join the study group. Harry and Neville talk to Nadia about Hermione; "she doesn't seem to be fitting in with the other girls in our classes and I think she could do with a friend but I don't think that a boy would be the best to approach her or I'd do so." Harry explains.

"I'll talk to her first chance I get." Nadia agrees.

In the approach to Halloween Nadia tries to talk to Hermione but without being in any of the same classes locating the Gryffindor proves to be a challenge. On Halloween there is a sense of melancholy among Nadia, Neville and Harry. Between the three of them they plan to hold a quiet ceremony for Harry's parents and for Neville's mum and dad.

The three realising the importance of food head first to the feast where they learn about Hermione hiding in the toilet because Ron upset her and after gathering some food into muggle lunch boxes (including enough for Hermione) the three leave the hall and head to the girls toilet where Hermione is hiding. Nadia leaves her lunch box with Harry and heads in to talk to Hermione.

Hermione exits one of the stalls to see Nadia looking at the tap of one of the sinks. "I hear what that obnoxious boy Ron was saying and wanted to see if you were ok. It must be difficult being in a strange new world and wanting to prove yourself." Nadia observes sympathetically.

"Oh, I'm fine really. I'm use to not having friends it just hurts to hear it said like that. I just want to prove that I belong here that's all." Hermione explains.

"Understandable but you do realise that most people are a bit intimidated by your edetic memory." Nadia states.

"Oh, my memory isn't edetic just photographic I don't remember everything just what I read." Hermione explains.

"Mine is edetic but I tend not to go quoting everything and it takes a while to dig up facts. Occlumency helps because it involves organising the mind, of course Harry and I also use the muggle mind palace technique to improve our memory and it makes it much easier to create occlumency barriers around a mental idea." Nadia responds.

"What is occlumency? I'm familiar with the mind palace idea, I have been using it myself to help with my memory." Hermione replies.

"Occlumency is a form of mind magic and it is used to protect the mind. Individuals who are skilled at occlumency are often able to resist the imperious curse. I can lend you a book on the subject and if you want Harry, Neville and I all practise it and could teach you the basics of it. How about we get out of here and go have dinner? If you want to hang out with us after we are going to hold a remembrance ritual." Nadia offers.

"I would love to borrow the book, do you really not mind teaching me? Are you saying I can be friends with you and your friends?" Hermione asks.

"Of course we don't mind teaching you and yes you can be friends with us and join our study group and meet everyone else." Nadia replies.

Outside the girls bathroom Harry and Neville spot a troll wandering the corridor and run into the bathroom shutting the door. "What are you doing in a girls bathroom?" Hermione asks.

"Troll outside, inside might be safer. I've locked the door." Harry replies.

"Oh, well we're trapped in here if it gets in." Neville observes.

"No I don't think we are…" Nadia begins just as the door flies open.

"Now might be a good time for a way out." Harry shouts.

"No time for that we need to distract it." Nadia yells as the troll swings it's club at Neville.

"The club, levitate the club and knock it out." Neville yells.

As the club goes up and the troll swings its arm at Harry and Neville but its club remains in the air. The club drops on the trolls head and after the troll sways for a bit collapses on the floor.

"Nice spell work there Hermione you totally showed your Gryffindor courage there." Harry compliments.

"Thanks, but it was Neville's idea." Hermione shrugs.

"Still teamwork. Welcome to the club Hermione you'll get on great." Harry grins.

Just then the teachers show up, Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell. "What happened here?" Professor McGonagall asks.

"Harry and Neville heard that Ron had upset Hermione and that she was in here and so we decided to come and make sure she was ok. I came in and we were talking when Harry and Neville saw the troll and came in here to hide since we could lock the door. The troll smashed the door open and took a swing at Neville, Harry distracted it so it missed and then when it went to swing again Hermione levitated the club and dropped it on its head." Nadia described. "We were very lucky that Neville thought of that." Nadia adds.

"Yes, four first years facing a full grown mountain troll and winning is sheer dumb luck. Well ten points to each of you now off you go to your common rooms; the feast is being finished there." Professor McGonagall instructs.

"Professor would it be ok if Nadia came to Gryffindor common room for a bit, we wanted to conduct a remembrance ritual for Neville and I's parents." Harry asks meekly.

"Very well, I will arrive before curfew to escort Miss Cane back to Ravenclaw common room." Professor McGonagall concedes.

The four first years hurry off to Gryffindor common room, on their way out the backroom Nadia notices the bit mark on Professor Snape's leg. When they get back to Gryffindor common room after a minor stir about a Ravenclaw in their common room there is disbelieve over the story told by the four first years.

"If I was allowed to return to my dorm I could get my pensieve and show you all the memory of it then you wouldn't be able to dispute it." Nadia declares.

"You have a pensieve, those are rare and expensive?" Ron shouts.

"Yes, it has been in my family for at least 12 generations." Nadia answers.

"We've used it before for watching memories of each other's accidental magic." Harry adds.

"Yeah like the time Harry turned someone's hair blue or when Nadia would fly off the swings." Neville grins.

"Don't forget that time you turned your grans hat green and silver." Harry laughs.

After that the story is accepted with a few of the more curious (note the twins) asking to see the memory for themselves. The four first years have some dinner and then head up to the first year boy's dorm. With none of the other boys present the four sit in a circle as Nadia explains the ritual to Hermione.

"A remembrance ritual is used to connect to ones ancestors as a sign of remembrance and to tell them about ones experiences. It can be used to varying levels and it surprises me that the Professors didn't ask which level we'd be using as some of the higher ones would be dangerous at our age. The one we are doing is the second lowest which means that we are using the thinness of the veil to reach for Harry's parents, they won't be physically present but they should be able to see and hear us. Neville will connect with his parents who are still alive in body but their minds have been badly damaged and we are hoping that this might allow them some awareness of the world." Nadia explains.

The herbs and bowl are sat in the centre of the circle. Harry and Neville prepare the herbs and set the in the bowl, Harry then picks up a pair of scissors and cuts a small lock of hair off before placing it in the bowl and passing it to Neville who copies Harry's actions and passes them to Nadia. Nadia does the same before passing it them to Hermione who after a moment's hesitation copies and sets the scissors to one side.

The incantation recited by Harry and Neville is in Latin **(a/n as I can't speak or write Latin I am going to write it in English)** "On this day when the veil is thinnest I, Harry Potter/Neville Longbottom, do reach out with my magic, my heart and my soul to the spirit and soul of my parents so that I my connect with them in my remembrance and that they may know me even as they struggle to reach me. Let them see me now through the veil so that they may find peace in the knowledge that I am well and see for themselves the friends that I have. Please let them see us on this day when the veil is thinnest, so mote it be." Harry and Neville recite.

The flames in the bowl go from yellow/orange to blue showing the ritual has worked and that the Potters and Longbottoms are now watching the four children. Switching back to English. "Mum, dad I'd like to let you know that I am doing well. I have lots of friends here at Hogwarts and Nadia is like a sister to me, her mum got guardianship of me from Aunt Petunia so I stay with her now. I went to magical school in Japan for a while and am a wolf animagus. Nadia is a panther animagus and Neville is learning, we think that he is going to be a lion animagus and we are hoping to find the map and improve it and add our names to it. We are going to teach Hermione as well, we made friends with her today. I love you and miss you and hope you are at peace." Harry describes.

"Mum, dad I'd like to let you know that things are good now, I'm learning to be more confident. My friends and I faced a troll today someone let it into the school and it found us. We all acted with Gryffindor courage and I am starting to feel that the hat was right to sort me into Gryffindor; I wanted it to put me in Hufflepuff. Harry and Nadia are siblings and friends of mine and we made friends with Hermione today. I have friends in Hufflepuff too and we are working on befriending Violet who is in Slytherin. We are trying to show that house doesn't matter when it comes to friendship. I am learning to become an animagus and Harry and Nadia think my form will be a lion. We're going to find the map Harry's parents made and add to it if we can and add our names to it if we do. We won't cause to my trouble only a few harmless pranks here and there. I love you and hope that this helps you and that someday you will be able to tell me what you think of what we do." Neville explains.

"Hi, Mr and Mrs Potter, Mr and Mrs Longbottom. I hope you don't mind me claiming Harry and Neville as my brothers; they are really great and have been very nice to me. I hope you don't mind me sitting in on this ritual but I was curious to see if it would work as we hoped and I wanted to be here to support my brothers as they conducted this ritual. We plan on doing it on Halloween each year we are at Hogwarts to tell you how we are doing and what we have achieved. Neville is the best in our year at Herbology and Harry is top in charms, transfiguration and defence against the dark arts, Hermione is top in astronomy and I am top in potions. Hermione became our friend today and so we are going to teach her occlumency so she can know our secrets like being animagi through we are registered it was done so that no one knows. You have fantastic sons; I hope that we have given you some comfort and peace by telling you this." Nadia speaks.

"Mr and Mrs Potter, Mr and Mrs Longbottom. I didn't really understand what this ritual would involve and hope you don't mind me sitting in. I was really curious about it as I haven't read anything about it and I wanted to know what it was like. Your sons noticed I wasn't in the great hall tonight and came looking for me with Nadia to make sure I was ok. If they hadn't I'd probably be dead because the troll terrified me and it was only when Neville suggested a spell that I knew I could do that I felt any confidence at all and was able to help them knock the troll out. I really want to learn anything that your sons can teach me and I am really looking forward to having friends that don't want me to do all the work but are will to work for themselves and do extra work to teach me new things. I hope that you get comfort and peace from knowing what strong and brave sons you have and that you get comfort and peace from being told this." Hermione hesitates.

Beyond the veil Lily holds James hand as she watches her sons with tear soaked eyes. Frank and Alice stand beside the two Potters, watching their son with sad, proud eyes. "I can't believe that Harry was sent to my sister. How did that happen?" Lily hisses.

"He doesn't have to back Nadia got her mum to get guardianship of him." James reminds his wife.

"If I wasn't in the state I am I'd be having words with my mother about how the family use to treat my son. I'm glad they have found a family with each other." Frank states.

"She sees too much of you in our son and not enough of me and she definitely needs reminded that he is his own person." Alice agrees.

"I hope that they do pull some pranks." James says.

"As long as they don't go as far as the Marauders did then I too will look forward to their pranks" Alice agrees.

In the Gryffindor dorm the four children have no idea that they are being discussed. Beyond the four spirits look at the children, none of children are aware of it or aware that Lily and James have always been watching over Harry and that Frank and Alice are aware of their son on some level. Alice more than Frank. The four spirits sign and together place their hands over the flame in the dorm the flame goes from blue to green showing the children that they have been heard.

The spirits leave and the flames goes out, the silent power that filled the air like static faded leaving four wide eyed children. "It worked, it actually worked. They heard us." Harry murmurs with awe.

"There was so much power in the room it was like static." Hermione observes.

"Four spirits are bound to generate a lot of power." Neville whispers stunned.

At St Mungo's, Frank moves in the slow shuffle that his wife does. Alice's movements become less of a shuffle and more controlled, to both a small level of awareness returns. The healers are baffled by the sudden improvement. Alice says her sons name for the first time in ten years, the first word she has said since that night.

The next morning when Neville receives the news from his grandmother, he smiles and shows the letter to Harry and Hermione before going over to show it to Nadia. The four share a silent agreement to perform the ritual until the pair are healed.


	4. Pranks and Chaos

Chapter Three – Pranks and Chaos

 **AN: In this chapter one of the characters undergoes a name change, from the point where their name changes I will be referring to them by the new name but the first time will refer to them old name/new name so that everyone knows the name is changing.**

After the events at Halloween, Harry brought up the robbery at Gringotts and the lack of any further information. Since Halloween Hermione had become a regular member of the group. The twins had approached Nadia about viewing the memory and had revealed that they were in possession of the Marauder's map which they happily gave to Harry after learning on his father's roles in making it. "Gotta give the kid a shot after all." Fred had said when asked why they would hand it over.

"After all we have the map memorized and now Harry and you lot can continue the marauders legacy with the marauders heir." George had added.

So now the four had been planning a prank and where researching in the library when Harry had brought up the robbery. "Well the goblins didn't seem to know what had happened it is unlikely that we will hear anything even if they found who is responsible." Nadia commented.

"It happened the same time day that we were in Diagon, Hagrid was there on school business." Neville observes.

"To my knowledge the vault in question isn't a Hogwarts vault." Nadia states.

"How would you know that?" Hermione questions.

"Since you're occlumency is going well I might tell you." Nadia states before taking her wand and casting a few privacy wards including the one from a battered copy of the sixth year potions textbook that she had found in the cupboard when getting a replacement for her book after one of the Hufflepuffs had melted their cauldron and the potion spilling damaged Nadia's book as she was working at the same bench.

The book wouldn't have been remarkable if it hadn't been for the notes scribbled over almost the entire page. Nadia had gone back for it after it had raised her curiosity and found all seven of the school potions books with the same notes. The books had once belonged to someone who used the title the half-blood prince. Nadia had consulted the portrait of the founders that she carried on how to determine the effects of the spells, all but one had been practiced by the group after they had figured them out. The spell they hadn't practiced was a darker version of the cutting hex (as close as they could figure it anyway) and so they didn't want to take risks with such a spell.

Hermione had been skeptical about the alterations to the recipes until Nadia had told her both that a potions expert (Salazar) had told her that the altercations made the potion better and that she suspected that the books belonged to someone who was (or had been) a potions master and that they had been working on improving the potions.

"As you know very little is publicly known about my mum's family. We've kept it that way on purpose. My grandfather is Tom Marvolo Riddle who later became known by the anagram that he created you rearrange the name and get I am Lord Voldemort. I am the founders heir direct descendant of the four founders of Hogwarts." Nadia informs Hermione.

"Neville and Harry are two of the only people who know and I need you to keep this hidden behind your shields. The potions expert I consulted is Salazar Slytherin himself, there is a portrait of the four founders that I talk to regularly for advice. I am telling you this now because I am going to need your help over the summer. My mother has been talking to the minister who knows and is sworn to secrecy using a secrecy spell and they have arranged for the staff and headmaster to be out of the school for the three weeks we need to cleanse the ward stones and recasts, repair and generally restore the wards." Nadia explains.

"But students aren't allowed to use magic during the holidays. That would require lots of magic and knowledge of wards." Hermione exclaims.

"Yes, but the minister has given special lifting of the trace for the three weeks especially since we are on school grounds. Also the wards don't require that much power, they are anchored by runes and designed to require minimum power to maintain so that a single head can cast wards that were set by four individuals. The founders will be there guiding us through the process and Hogwarts herself will be helping us." Nadia explains.

"How can the school help?" Hermione asks.

"Well the founders designed a chamber that holds and stores the build-up of excess magic so that it can be channelled into the wards to increase their strength we are going to tap into this reserve to rebuild the wards." Nadia answers.

"Oh in that case I'd be happy to help." Hermione agrees.

"I need you to stand as a representative of Ravenclaw. Harry will stand for Slytherin and Neville for Gryffindor with me standing as Hufflepuff which will give us a symmetry and balance with the founders. I am hoping that once we do this the school will become a self-sustaining fortress. I am going to talk to the school elves and have them restart the production of food and livestock in the fields that were set aside for that use." Nadia explains.

"Elves?" Hermione asks.

"House-elves, magical creatures that live in a symbionic relationship with wizards and witches. They gain a level of magic from the household that the serve and protection from other magical creatures that would otherwise do them harm and wizards and witches gain a loyal housekeeper/chief. House-elves need witches and wizards to survive and are happiest when working and meeting needs of the wizard or witch they are bound too." Nadia responds.

"I have a book that explains it, it was written by a muggle-born and is a cross between a magical text and a scientific study." Nadia adds.

"Oh that would be so helpful. You always seem to have books on subjects that will help me fit in more." Hermione observes.

"I bought them back when I was introducing Harry to our world." Nadia responds.

"Nadia was regularly buying books in an effort to help me understand magic, she taught that given my fame and political influence when I am older that it would be highly important that I have an understanding of everything that magical raised individuals take for granted." Harry adds.

"We could just give Hermione the list and then you could lend her the relevant book when she reaches that point. I think you should explain about alliance and friendship rituals. Then the four of us could start one." Neville comments.

Nadia pulls a muggle notebook from her bag and hands it to Hermione. "This book contains the areas of common understanding in the magical world that a muggleborn would not have been introduced to. Each page has a summary of the subject and the relevant book." Nadia explains.

"I would suggest that next time you are in Diagon Alley you go to Gringotts and have an inheritance test preformed then open a vault if you need to." Neville advises.

"I could do that when I go home for Christmas." Hermione states.

"Good plan, write to us and tells us the results." Nadia requests.

"I don't have an owl." Hermione observes.

"I'll send Nyx with you when you go home so we can keep in touch, Harry probably won't mind me borrowing Hedwig to write to mum." Nadia offers.

"Of course you can Di and Hermione if you want to write to your parents feel free to ask if Hedwig is free. Nadia probably will let you use Nyx if she isn't." Harry offers.

"That would be very nice of you, I don't use the school owls very often and it would be nice to write home more." Hermione accepts.

"Well why don't you write to your parents now given that you've got all the homework done." Nadia suggests.

"That would be great, Nyx won't mind waiting for them to write a reply will she?" Hermione asks.

"Not at all, I'll give you a packet of owl treats to send with your letter and then your parents will have treats to give her and Hedwig when they deliver letters." Nadia responds.

"I know you are staying at school but are going home for two days if I arrange for the test to be done then will you come with me?" Hermione inquires.

"Sure we'd be happy to." Harry answers.

Hermione pulls out a fresh sheet of parchment and writes to her parents while Harry and Nadia debate the execution of the first stage of the prank. Neville finishes his notes on his section and contributes with a different suggestion that has Hermione chipping in with a slight change to Neville's plan and the four agree that it is the best idea that they have.

The four leave the library and Harry and Neville separate from Nadia and Hermione to scout out the kitchens and great hall while Nadia and Hermione head to the room of requirements. Nadia requests a potions lab with a portrait of the founders. A door appears and Hermione and Nadia enter.

"Nadia about time we got to meet Hermione." A voice exclaims.

"Your one of the founders aren't you?" Hermione asks.

"Yes now can you guess which one." The speaker challenges.

"Well your male so Salazar or Godric, and Godric was known for having red hair so I'd guess you are Salazar." Hermione responds.

"Excellent, no doubt Ric, Ro and Helga will be by shortly to meet you. I hear you ended up in Godric's house?" Salazar inquires.

"Yes the sorting hat was strongly debating Ravenclaw but final decided that Gryffindor was a better fit." Hermione answers.

"Well I would have been delighted to have you my house dear." Rowena states as she enters the portrait.

"Don't forget that your house doesn't define you and that most of the stories about our houses and ideals have been altered by people seeking their own gain." Salazar comments.

"Can I ask something about your house?" Hermione quizzes.

"Of course you can." Salazar answers.

"Well I was wondering why you didn't accept muggleborns in your house and didn't want them at Hogwarts?" Hermione inquires.

"That's easy, Sal has no patience for basics like holding a wand and using a quill which is why he only took those who were already taught those things which was half-blood and pureblood." Godric chuckles coming to stand beside Salazar.

"That is understating, Sal really did have high standards and preferred to teach those who already had a basic understanding of the magical world rather than having to explain all our customs and traditions, it is sad to see how many have been lost." Helga continues.

"I was happy to accept them I just thought that they were better off not returning to their homes and instead being fostered by magical families. There were witch hunts and witch burning during the years we founded the school and I didn't want the muggleborns leading their families to the school and endangering everyone else. The number of times muggleborns went home only to be killed by their own families was shocking and I wanted to keep them in the magical world for their own safety." Salazar added.

"Did any of the muggleborns ever tell their families how to get to Hogwarts?" Hermione asks.

A look passes between the founders and Hermione notices that Rowena, Helga and Godric move closer to Salazar.

"Yes, just once." Godric states.

"The wards didn't hold them back and it prompted the creation of many muggle repelling wards that are common today many don't realise that they were based on one that was formed round Hogwarts that day." Helga comments.

"What happened?" Hermione asks.

"It was brutal, a number of students had been killed and three of our heirs were badly injured. Godric was our strongest fighter and he was so badly injured that he had to retreat into the school where my daughter and Rowena's Helena were leading a team of 6th and 7th years in healing the injured students and staff. Salazar had disappeared from the fighting when the wards suddenly began glowing and a strong force began to push all the muggle attackers back from the grounds till the edge of the wards. We began treating the most severely injured not knowing what Salazar had done to the wards and its effect until much later." Helga begins.

"Once everyone had been treated I took a look at the wards and realised that the wards had been changed and a new ward had been added but that the new ward wasn't grounded to the ward stones so I went down to the stone to ground the ward to runes on the stones and discovered Salazar had scarified himself to save the school and us. We learned that the muggles had all lost their memories of the school and its location. The new ward was one that would repel muggles and make them remember that they had somewhere else to be. I attached it to the ward stones so that his sacrifice would not be in vain." Rowena continues.

"We held a ceremony for Salazar on the grounds and as was tradition at the time cremated his body. It was decided that his ashes like ours would be on our deaths would be scattered over the potions and greenhouses." Godric finishes.

"Everyone would be stunned if the heard this they all think that Salazar fell out with all of you and left the school." Hermione whispers.

"We know the nonsense that has been spread since our deaths and it angers us to hear Sal slandered as such when he gave his life to save the school." Godric rages.

"I have already had a chat with the ghosts who know the truth they have been told that if they speak the truth then they will be forced from the school. I am going to fix that the first chance I get but it means getting rid of the current headmaster." Nadia states.

"He dare threaten the ghosts, one of them is my Helena." Rowena fumes.

"I know I was angry too, I am going to fix the wards this summer. Hermione has agreed to represent Ravenclaw. Harry will stand for Slytherin and Neville for Gryffindor and I will stand as Hufflepuff." Nadia agrees.

"Well that is something then. Now given you asked for a potions lab I am guessing you want to brew a potion." Salazar observes.

"Yes, we are going to prank the whole school. We were hoping you would talk us through the one that will turn everyone into lions for a minute." Nadia agrees.

"Ah that is a potion that you should be able to brew with very little help so of course I will help. Now do you have my journal with the potion or do I need to talk you through it completely?" Salazar inquires.

"I have the journal right here." Nadia says holding up the journal in question. Hermione and Nadia then get to work brewing the potion under the watchful eyes of the founders.

Harry and Neville meanwhile scout the great hall and the kitchens and talk to the house elves. In the kitchens the bump into Fred and George who happily talk to them for a while and tell the boys about their goal of opening a joke shop. Harry explains about the marauders journal and the pranks played by the founders and suggest Harry suggests that if the twins take school a bit more seriously and get an agreed number of OWLS and NEWTS then he might consider investing in a joke shop with them especially if they agree to let him credit the marauders for their pranks and the founders for theirs (if Nadia agrees though Neville observes she may wish to part fund the shop as well).

"You really should ask Nadia if you can meet the founders the four of them are brilliant. If fact why don't you come with us and meet them now, of course you will have to be placed under a secrecy spell to ensure that no one can get this information from you until such a time that Nadia reveals it." Harry explains.

"We'd be honoured" Fred states

"and delighted to meet" George adds

"the founders of our school." Fred finishes.

"Come on they should still be in the room of requirements brewing our first official prank to introduce the school to the next gen marauders." Harry laughs.

The twins follow Harry and Neville to the room of requirements as Harry explains how the room works and the known limits (mainly that it obeys the laws of transfiguration and therefore can't conjure food and that it was created collectively by the founders based on an idea of Rowena's.

The group arrives as the room of requirements and Harry paces three times holding the same thought as Nadia had to open the room. When the door appears the twins are suitably impressed as they had yet to find the room on their own. They enter to laughter. "Of course I got him back for that but even I can admit it was well played.

"What's so funny?" Neville enquires.

"You've hear the story Ric was just telling Hermione about the time that he made Sal's hair pink." Nadia answers.

"Ah yes that is a good one. You'll have to teach us that someday. Maybe we can find a way to make Snape's hair pink, he already hates me for some reason might as well have fun with it." Harry laughs.

"I find it appaling that a teacher gets away with treating students like that." Sal hisses.

"Yes well it is one of the things on my fix it list." Nadia sooths.

"Fred, George meet the founders." Harry introduces.

Nadia takes out her wand and places the twins under a secrecy spell and then introduces the founders and turns back to the potion.

"We're nearly done it has to simmer for another two minutes and then we add the last two ingredients and take it off the heat and stir it seven times." Hermione explains to Harry and Neville.

"What is it going to do?" The twins ask together.

"Let's just say if you want to see the effects rather than experience them avoid the pumpkin juice tonight at dinner." Nadia grins.

"You're not going to tell us?" The twins pout.

"Nope, but we will say it is very Gryffindor." Neville laughs.

"Yeah in fact this same prank was pulled by Godric on Salazar." Harry chuckles.

"I can't believe that Hermione Granger is pulling a prank." Fred states.

"From what we hear you don't know how to break a rule." George adds.

"Let's just say that I've realised some rules should be broken and since the founders of the school had a time honoured tradition of prank wars that I really don't mind." Hermione explains.

"What is a prank war?" The twins quiz together.

"When two or more teams battle with pranks to score the most points. Nadia has been working on charming journals like the founders did to record the points. When we get it working we will approach you and say one two three four we declare and prank war. You can respond with one two three four let the war begin. Or one two three four take us out the prank war. We will be you accepting or rejecting being a part of it. If you accept then you write the names of your team mates in the journal and follow the rules and instruction that it will contain." Hermione explains.

"Sounds like really good fun." The twin grin.

"Yes it does and we will let you know how many team members you are allowed once we know our own team." Neville states.

"This is going to be so much fun having you kids at the school." The twins laugh.

"Oh yes we plan to shake things up around here." Nadia chuckles.

Once the potion is complete and everything is cleaned up the group leaves the room of requirements and heads in separate directions. The twins head off to talk to Lee and the first years head to the library to meet their Hufflepuff friends for their study group. The study group talk about Herbology and Susan express her confusion over the potions homework that they have.

"The essay is on the effects of ground pearl in potions specifically in regards to nutritionally potions?" Nadia asks.

"Yes that one. I don't understand why it is added in the base and then also added in the main potion." Susan answers.

"It is added in the base as a stabilising agent and it grounds the effects of the pearl, the pearl in the base also encourages the flow of the nutrients in the body. Adding more pearl to the main body of the potion optimises the assimilation of the nutrients into the body." Nadia explains.

"Why do you grind the pearl?" Neville asks.

"You grind the pearl so that it dissolves better in the base and therefore the effects are spread more evenly through the potion than if you just added a pearl." Nadia answers.

"I hear that Neville is the best in our year at herbology and was wondering if you would mind me joining to pick his brains on the herbology essay we have on the wolfsbane plant." Violet asks.

"Sure, take a seat and welcome to the group. Everyone knows my name, and you know Nadia. Sitting next to her is Hermione Granger and then Susan Bones and the Hannah Abbott then Neville Longbottom." Harry introduces.

"Justin usually joins us but he joined the gobblestone club and they are meeting this afternoon." Susan explains.

Violet takes a seat next to Neville who looks over her herbology essay and explains the section that she is having trouble with. Nadia chips in for the section on how it relates to potions.

The study group breaks up and the students head to their common rooms to drop of their bags before dinner. Neville takes Harry's as well as his own so that Harry can sneak to the kitchens and spike the pumpkin juice. The group meets up and the entrance to the great hall and Harry gives the group the thumbs up letting them know he was successful. Everyone takes their seats and once the food is served they begin eating ready to watch the chaos of their prank.

Surprisingly the first person to turn into a lion is Professor McGonagall which prompts laughter at irony of the Gryffindor head of house becoming a lioness, and then Professor Snape falls to the potion too, turning into a lion which causes even more laughter. More and more students turn into lions. Once Snape turns back he shoots a glare at Harry who after a couple of bites of food drinks some pumpkin juice and turns into a lion thus avoiding any suspicion of his involvement. Malfoy also ends up a lion and Violet becomes a lioness, both Susan and Hannah also end up as lionesses.

Eventually Professor Flitwick gets the students attention and tells everyone that he thinks the cause is the pumpkin juice. The students avoid it for the rest of the meal. The pranksters all hide their grins and carefully store the memory in their mind palace with the intention of copying it and preserving it for future generations. The twins watch the prank with amusement mutually agreeing to mentor the youngsters in the art of pranking and include them in future pranks.

The next week passes in relative quiet except for an angry Violet turning up to the Wednesday study group with a black eye.

"What happened Vi?" Nadia quizzes.

"That idiot third year summoned his textbook from the other side of the common room and on its way over to him it smacked me in the face." Violet hisses.

"I have some bruise salve in my bag if you want some." Harry offers.

"That would be great thank I didn't want to go to Professor Snape or the hospital wing." Violet responds.

Violet sits as Nadia applies the bruise salve and the bruise fades to nothing. The group returns to studying and the incident is more or less forgotten until the Saturday when the upper years go to Hogsmead and Violet receives a package of blood pops and a case of chocolate frogs as well as a Godric Gryffindor chocolate frog card.

"You've got to admit the boy knows how to apologise." Nadia states as Violet joins the study group.

"I will give him that, how he knew I like blood pops and didn't have Godric Gryffindor I don't know." Violet replies.

"He helped when your bag split the parchment we were passing notes on was in there he could have read that." Nadia suggests.

After that the group finishes their homework and talks about holiday plans. Harry, Nadia and Neville are all staying at Hogwarts but are being pulled from the school for two days to visit Neville's parents and Godric's Hollow.

The next week Nyx and Hedwig are busy as Nadia, Harry, Neville and Hermione all owl order Christmas presents. Hermione prepares to head home and organises a line test for the 21st. Arrange to go with Hermione for her line test and then visit Neville's parents before staying at Longbottom Manor and then going to Godric's Hollow before returning to Hogwarts.

The study group meet the day before the students return home to exchange gifts (which will be opened Christmas day) and then talk about their homework before working on their herbology and potions essays for the afternoon. On the 21st Nadia's mother collects Harry, Nadia and Neville with Neville's grandmother and the five head to Gringotts to meet Hermione.

Hermione's line test shocks the group who learn that she was adopted and was born Alya Lestrange. "Alya is a common name for the yellow binary star Theta Serpentis in the constellation Serpens ("The Serpent") and is fitting with the Black family tradition of naming after stars and constellations." Nadia states.

"This doesn't change how we see you Hermione." Neville reassures.

"Yeah you can't be blamed for the sins of your parents no matter how much Snape seems to want to blame me for my dad and his friends." Harry agrees.

Hermione choses to accept the heirship; "Well one of this lot can take you then, since you aren't what we thought we don't want any responsibility for you." Mrs Granger declares.

Hermione is stunned and upset so Nadia's mum and Neville's gran talk to the Grangers and the end result is custody of Hermione being transferred to Nadia's mum. "Hermione dear do you want to keep the name Hermione or change it to the one your birth parents gave you." Lady Cane asks.

"I'll change my name back to Alya." Hermione/Alya answers.

"Very well dear. Your second name too or just your first?" Lady Cane quizzes.

"Might as well change both" Alya replies "This is going to shock Malfoy when he finds out we're cousins." Alya adds giggling watery.

"Oh please let me be there when he finds out." Harry requests.

"Of course and if you aren't then Nadia's pensive will come in handy." Alya laughs.

"Alya needs to be tests for blocks; it is unlikely that her appearance looking so similar to the Grangers is natural. It is possible that like Harry the Black metamorphmagus ability is present in Hermione but has been blocked." Nadia comments.

Alya is tested for blocks and it is found that she is in fact a metamorphmagus and that it is blocked. The block is lifted and her hair shifts through the colour of the rainbow before settling in her naturally smooth black hair.

Next the group heads to the trunk shop to buy Alya a trunk like Harry, Nadia and Neville's while there Lady Cane also buys a trunk to pack Alya things into that she doesn't want to take to Hogwarts. The group then heads to Alya's old house and packs her things some of the books Alya adds to her new school trunk and her old one is used for the rest of her books. Lady Cane tells Alya that she will put the trunks into her room at the Cane family manor (which the family had moved back to after Lady Cane took custody of Harry) and that she can decide how it is decorate when she is home for the summer.

The group visits Neville's parents and Alice moves quickly to Neville calling out his name. She pulls him into a hug mumbling "my son" over and over and she hugs him. After the visit the group returns to Longbottom Manor and have dinner before the youngsters work on homework before bed.

The next morning the group has breakfast before heading to Godric's Hollow. They visit the graveyard and lay flowers on the Potters grave before viewing the statue and heading to the cottage. Once they have looked around everyone returns to Longbottom Manor for lunch before the students (including Alya) return to Hogwarts.

The four students visit Professor McGonagall to let her know about the situation with Alya and fill her in on the information that won't have been included in the letter from the goblins informing of the change in name and guardianship. Professor McGonagall is shocked and asks Alya if she would like to be resorted.

"Thank you Professor but I am happy in the house I am in especially since Harry is distantly related to me and the only other family I have is a cousin in Slytherin and I would rather not be a curiosity for the snakes." Alya answers.

Christmas passes calmly though Harry is a bit surprised by the return of his father's invisibility cloak. He stores it in his schoolbag so that no one else can take it from him. Alya, Harry, Nadia and Neville sit together for the Christmas dinner and the rest of the holiday passes calm.

The chaos caused by Alya's identity doesn't die down when the rest of the students return and Harry gets his wish of being at dinner when Draco Malfoy hears the news. Alya had before returning returned to her appearance as Hermione Granger but now smirks at Malfoy and returns to her natural appearance looking very much like her mother and Aunt Andromeda.

A number of snakes approach her asking if she is going to resort. "Cousin, I have been asked by my mother to see if you would like to spend the summer with us?" Draco Malfoy asks.

"I am going to be staying with Lady Cane but since we are family I won't object to visiting during the holidays." Alya answers.

"Why are you staying with the Canes?" Draco inquires.

"Lady Cane is now my guardian the muggles who were raising me decided that they didn't want the responsibility of raising a magical child so were happy to agree when Lady Cane offered to take me in." Alya responds.

"I hear you are part of a mixed house study group?" Draco quizzes.

"Yes I am one of the founding members of it." Alya replies.

"Would you mind if I join?" Draco questions.

"The group meets on Wednesday if they don't mind you being there then you are welcome to join." Alya answers.

"Very well, I will see you on Wednesday then cousin." Draco comments.

"See you then." Alya responds.


End file.
